Recap:
Mohit and Maya, a newlywed couple, encounter unsettling events during their visit to Mohit’s hometown. Back in Mumbai, their life is disrupted further when Maya begins exhibiting strange behavior, eerily resembling Kusum, a woman from Mohit’s past who mysteriously disappeared. As secrets unravel, Mohit embarks on a journey to uncover the truth.
The Dhenkanal Chapter
The weeks leading up to the Pune trip were uneventful, yet Mohit couldn’t shake the eerie events from his mind. To his relief, Maya seemed her usual cheerful self, as though nothing had happened.
Back in Mumbai, Mohit began investigating Kusum’s past. His findings raised unsettling questions:
- Kusum’s father-in-law, Umashankar Nayak, was a former sub-collector of Dhenkanal.
- Kusum’s husband, Dibyendu, operated a real estate business across Odisha.
Why would the son of a reputed officer shift from administration to real estate? Mohit discovered Kusum had vanished while en route to her father’s home. Though her body was never found, she was presumed dead after years of no trace.
As Mohit quietly booked tickets to Bhubaneswar and arranged a cab to Jharpada, he froze upon hearing Maya say, “I want to go to Jharpada.” Startled, he turned to find Maya standing behind him. She said no more and walked away, leaving Mohit bewildered and uneasy.
The Closet
Throughout the journey, Maya was unusually silent. At the Bhubaneswar airport, her familiarity with the place startled Mohit. She moved with the confidence of someone who had been there before.
The cab ride to Jharpada took an even stranger turn when Maya directed the driver to an under-construction 13-story building. The cab driver hesitated, saying, “Ma’am, are you sure? That place has been abandoned for years.” Maya insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument.
At the site, Maya approached a laborer and requested help breaking a wall on the 13th floor. Initially reluctant, he agreed after Maya handed him a wad of cash. Moments later, the laborer uncovered a skeleton behind the wall.
The discovery triggered a flurry of activity as the police arrived to investigate. Mohit struggled to explain their presence at the scene, his mind reeling from the surreal turn of events.
The Mystery Unfolds
Back in Bolangir, life slowly returned to normal. Mohit and Maya shared tea and samosas on the rooftop, watching the sun dip below the horizon. Yet Mohit’s thoughts lingered on the events of the past month:
- Umashankar Nayak, the once-respected administrative officer, was implicated in a disproportionate assets case during a vigilance raid.
- The investigation exposed a network of illegal construction projects linked to Dibyendu’s real estate company.
- Kusum had disappeared the day she planned to reveal incriminating evidence to her uncle. Tragically, her journey was cut short, her body hidden for years until Mohit and Maya stumbled upon it.
- Both Umashankar and Dibyendu were now in jail, their crimes finally exposed.
Mohit looked skyward, silently addressing Kusum: “Wherever you are, may you rest in peace. Your mysterious presence, though unsettling, brought Maya and me closer, strengthening our bond.”
His thoughts were interrupted by his mother calling from downstairs: “Maya, did you get these red bindis from the market? Who in our house wears bindis of this size?”
Mohit turned to Maya, who sipped her tea, her face calm and unreadable. Her silence spoke volumes, and Mohit felt a chill creep down his spine.
By Manjusha Dutta
Manjusha Dutta is a Senior Manager with a Software Insurance organization. A movie buff and an amateur dancer, she rocks in the videos that she creates for her YouTube channel. She can be reached at manjushadutta@gmail.com.
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